In the beginning, the American musical was a throwaway art. Musicians doodled on their sheet music and used it to swat mosquitoes; scores were often trashed after a show closed.

City Center's Encores!series was founded in 1994 with a commitment to uncovering these orchestrations—and in some cases, painstakingly restoring them.

We discuss how great orchestrations are created and how they can transform a musical. Watch our conversation with legendary orchestrator Jonathan Tunick (Follies, A Chorus Line); Encores! Music Director Rob Berman; and Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years), who began his career by writing vocal arrangements for other composers’ shows. Hosted by Encores! Artistic Director Jack Viertel and recorded live in The Greene Space on February 1, 2016.